The
reactivities of phosphanylphosphinidene complexes [(DippN)
2
W(Cl)(η
2
-P–P
t
Bu
2
)]
−
(
1
), [(
p
Tol
3
P)
2
Pt(η
2
-P=P
t
Bu
2
)] (
2
), and [(dppe)Pt(η
2
-P=P
t
Bu
2
)] (
3
) toward
dihaloalkanes and methyl iodide were investigated. The reactions of
the anionic tungsten complex (
1
) with stochiometric Br(CH
2
)
n
Br (
n
= 3,
4, 6) led to the formation of neutral complexes with a
t
Bu
2
PP(CH
2
)
3
Br ligand or neutral
dinuclear complexes with unusual tetradentate
t
Bu
2
PP(CH
2
)
n
PP
t
Bu
2
ligands (
n
= 4, 6). The methylation of platinum
complexes
2
and
3
with MeI yielded neutral
or cationic complexes bearing side-on coordinated
t
Bu
2
P–P-Me moieties. The reaction of
2
with I(CH
2
)
2
I gave a platinum complex with
a
t
Bu
2
P—P—I ligand. When
the same dihaloalkane was reacted with
3
, the P—P
bond in the phosphanylphosphinidene ligand was cleaved to yield
t
Bu
2
PI, phosphorus polymers, [(dppe)PtI
2
] and C
2
H
4
. Furthermore, the reaction of
3
with Br(CH
2
)
2
Br yielded dinuclear
complex bearing a tetraphosphorus
t
Bu
2
PPPP
t
Bu
2
ligand in the coordination sphere
of the platinum. The molecular structures of the isolated products
were established in the solid state and in solution by single-crystal
X-ray diffraction and NMR spectroscopy. DFT studies indicated that
the polyphosphorus ligands in the obtained complexes possess structures
similar to free phosphenium cations
t
Bu
2
P
+
=P−R (R = Me, I) or (
t
Bu
2
P
+
=P)
2
.